Car-coupling



(Nq-Modell) [W GERARD GAR GOULING. 1

/ j j Patented July 111; ifa-93;

WALTER GERARD, or LUDLow GROVE, oi-no, AssieNoR on ONE-HALE To4 PATENTGEEICE.

JOHN WINKEL, or oovINroN, KENTUCKY.

CAR-couPLlNc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,460, dated J' uly11 1893.

v Application filed March 31, 1893. Serial No. 468,420. (No model.)

To all whom it' may concern.-

Be it known that I, IVALTER GERARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ludlow Grove,in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the iigures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to car-couplings and the object is to provide acoupling which accomplishes the connection between the carsautomatically, doing such also, if thecouplin gs are at diii'erentheights and being provided with accessorymeans to permit the uncouplingfrom the sides of the cars without going between them.

In the following specification and particui larly pointed out in theclaim'sis found a full description of my invention, its operation, partsand construction, the latter being also illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which-` u Figures 1, 2 and 3 are side views of my improvedcoupling, showing it before, during and after the act of connecting.Fig. 4 isa top view of one coupling detached.

My coupling consists substantially of a double hook 6, projecting aboveand below from a shank 7, of which it forms a part and by which it ispivoted at 8, tothe draw-head 9, in a manner to permit it to oscillatein a vertical direction. This permits the two couplings when the carsare approaching to pass readily over each other, as shown in Fig. 2,whereby without further aid they are put in ready position to accomplishthe connection. When the train starts up the cars will separate again tosome extent, which separation causes the couplings to fully engage asshown in Fig. 3. To aid this automatic engagement, especially when carsare of different heights, an inclinedplane 10, is provided below eachcoupling, which catches the lower one of the two and on which suchcoupling slides up so as to be readily guided under the other one aboveit. See Fig. 2.

11 are customary spring actuated bufers supported in bearings 12, whichare formed out of a piece of dat iron having its ends bent at rightangles and connected to the draw-head.

The couplings are disengaged from each other by an arm 13, connected torock-shaft 14, which passes laterally through the draw-head and nds itsbearings therein. This rock-shaft projects to either side from thedraw-head and reaches out beyond the sides of the car, where its end isprovided with a handle or lever 15. If this handle or lever is operatedin the proper manner, arm 13, will depress the rear part of shank 7, anddisengage the hooks, respectively of the coupling. It is obvious thatfor such uncoupling the upper one of the two couplings should beoperated. Where it is'desirable to do the uncoupling from the top of thecars, a suitable rod 16, is connected to lever 15, and reaches up to thetop of the car.

The cars may be equipped for uncoupling with either device or they mayhave both, that is handle 15 on one side and a similar handle with a rod16 connected to it, on the other. In either case the uncoupling isaccomplished without necessitating the going between the cars to dosuch. The rear or under side of hook 6 is preferably slightly curved, asshown in Fig. 4, to prevent binding of the two contiguous surfaces ofthe coupling while the cars are rounding curves. j

17 is a counter-balance weight connected by a short arm to rock-shaft111, and projecting out in a direction opposite to arm 15. Its object isto keep this latter arm off from the rear part of shank '7, to preventrock-shaft 14: with its appendages from being constantly affected by theoscillations and motionsof the coupling.

The rear end of the draw head is closed and perforated to admit theconnection of a suitable tie-rod 18, which connects the two drawheads ofa car.

' Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. A car couplingconsisting substantially of a double hook pivoted to the draw-head in amanner to permit it to oscillate in a vertical direction,spring-actuated buffers carried by the draw-head, and means to operatethe hook from the side of the car for the purpose 0f disengaging thecoupling.

IOO

2. In a car coupling the combination of a draw-head, a shank pivotedthereto in a manner to permit it to oscillate in a vertical direction, adouble hook extending from this shank above and below, spring-actuatedbuffers carried by the draw-head, and means to operate the hook from theside of the car for the purpose of disengaging the coupling.

3. In 'a car coupling the combination of a draw-head, a double hookpivoted toit, means to operate the hook from the sides of the car forthe purpose of uncoupling, an inclinedplane 10, below the hook andconnected to the draw-head and spring-actuated bniers earried by thelatter.

4. In a car coupling the combination of a draw-head, a shank pivoted toit, a double hook carried by the outer end of the shank, inclined planes10, below the hooks, a rock shaft 14, provided with an arm 13, locatedso as to be capable of coming in contact with shank 7, and means tooperate the rock-shaft.

5. In a car coupling the combination of a draw-head, a double hookpivoted to it, in a manner to permit it to oscillate in a verticaldirection, means to operate the hook for the purpose of disengaging thecoupling, springactnated buffers and bearings l2 for them, consistingrsubstantially of a piece of flat iron with its ends bent at right anglesand bolted to the draw-head.

In testimonyv whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER GERARD. Witnesses:

C. SPENGEL, JOHN WINKEL.

